Alberta Continues to Lead Canada in Population Growth (Audio)

Despite a slumping economy, Alberta’s population has seen steady growth.

The Alberta Treasury Board and Finance released the Quarterly Population Report for Jan.- March 31, 2015 on June 17 and the numbers show Alberta leading all other provinces for population growth.

Since April 1 of last year, Alberta’s population has grown 2.17 per cent, while Canada’s growth rate for the same period was 0.94 per cent. Despite the relatively high number, this is the first time since the second quarter of 2012 that Alberta’s yearly growth has been under 100,000.

Ontarians made up the largest group heading west, with 3,177 new Albertans arriving from Ontario.

Dave Odynak, a demographic research analyst with the population research laboratory at the University of Alberta, says that people come west for opportunity, and that the young age of many new arrivals matters as well.

In 2011, Alberta’s median age was 36.5, compared to the national median of 40.6.

According to the report, “the provinces fairly young population includes many adults in childbearing years, keeping the number of births well ahead of deaths.”